1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of guards for boat propellers. In particular, it relates to a guard that protects a boat propeller from collision with the bottom or with objects in the path of the propeller and that also enhances the smoothness of ride of the boat.
2. The Prior Art
Power boats, especially those driven by outboard motors or inboard-outboard drives, are frequently used in relatively shallow water or in places having underwater obstructions that can collide with the propeller or propellers. This can happen not only when the boat is moving forward but also when it is in reverse or is sluing sideways in a turn, and when such a collision occurs, it frequently causes considerable damage to the propeller. Moreover, the object struck is not always an inanimate object; it is sometimes a living creature, such as a manatee or even a human being, and the damage from the impact may be even more devastating to the object struck than to the propeller.
Even if the object is inanimate and even if the propeller can be repaired, such a collision can render the propeller instantaneously inoperative, requiring the person or people in the boat to find some way of returning to the dock without power. Once the boat has been brought back, the cost of replacing or repairing the propeller is relatively high. In addition, the damage may not be limited to the propeller; it is not uncommon for other parts of the drive mechanism, even including the motor itself, to be damaged and to need repair or replacement.
In the course of experimenting with the propeller guard to be described herein, I discovered that the smoothness of operation of the boat is also improved. It rides higher in the water, even at relatively low speeds, and is less affected by chop.